Atlanta Hawks comeback against Oklahoma City Thunder for their first win in Salt Lake City
The Atlanta Hawks recorded their first win at this year's edition of the Salt Lake City Summer League by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 82:77 in a group-stage game played on July 6, 2026, at 17:00 local time at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. According to the official NBA.com report, the matchup went to Atlanta after a major comeback from a 15-point deficit after the first quarter, with Zuby Ejiofor playing the key role with a double-double performance of 19 points and 15 rebounds. Atlanta thereby improved its record to 1-1 in the mini tournament in Utah, while Oklahoma City remained winless after its first two games.
The game had two completely different faces. The Thunder opened the matchup with more energy, more aggression and better organization, took a 26:11 lead after the opening ten minutes and imposed a rhythm that created serious problems for Atlanta in the early phase. The Hawks needed time to find a better balance between outside shooting, drives toward the rim and defensive pressure on the ball. Once they managed to do that, the game gradually turned around: according to NBA.com data, Atlanta won the second and third quarters by a combined 50:32, neutralizing the poor start and creating the foundation for a closing stretch in which it preserved the lead.
The win is important for the Hawks above all because it came after an overtime loss to the Utah Jazz in the tournament opener. NBA.com stated in its report from the first game that Atlanta lost 103:102 against the hosts, despite a strong comeback in the closing stretch and notable performances by several young players. The second game therefore carried additional weight: the Hawks needed a response, and they got it through firmer defense, better rebounding control and a more stable distribution of offensive responsibilities. In summer league, the result is not the only criterion, but the way a young team responds to an early deficit remains an important signal for coaches and scouting departments.
Ejiofor brought the interior toughness and rhythm Atlanta had been missing
Zuby Ejiofor was the central figure of the matchup because his performance combined scoring presence, rebounding and defensive energy. According to NBA.com, the Atlanta Hawks' first-round pick finished the game with 19 points, 15 rebounds and three assists, which is especially valuable in the context of summer league because it shows the ability to influence the game even when the offense does not rely only on isolations or outside shooting. Ejiofor was the most reliable source of stability in moments when Atlanta was trying to reduce the early deficit, and his activity under both rims gave the Hawks more second chances and better control of possessions.
According to the official NBA Summer League roster, Ejiofor is the 23rd pick of the 2026 NBA draft and is appearing in Salt Lake City as a 203-centimeter power forward/center, with collegiate experience from St. John's. Such a profile has added value for Atlanta because summer league serves precisely to evaluate how young big men handle physically different opponents, changing lineups and games in which the rhythm often breaks from quarter to quarter. Ejiofor's double-double should not be viewed as a final projection of his NBA role, but it shows why Atlanta looked for a player in him who can connect rebounding, defense and finishing around the rim.
It is especially important that Ejiofor's performance came in a game in which the opening tempo did not suit the Hawks. Young players in summer league are often evaluated by whether they can survive poor shooting minutes and still remain useful through rebounding, shot blocking, defensive help and timely passing. In that sense, Ejiofor offered a broader picture than the number of points alone: his control of the paint reduced the number of easy Thunder attacks, and his presence on the offensive glass forced Oklahoma City to put more bodies in the zone, opening space for Atlanta on the perimeter. That kind of impact is often decisive in games that are decided by one or two runs.
The comeback was built on defense, threes and a deeper rotation
According to NBA.com, Atlanta made 12 three-pointers from 36 attempts, while Oklahoma City remained at 5 makes from 15 attempts behind the three-point line. The difference in made threes was not the only reason for the comeback, but it was one of the most visible indicators of the change in rhythm after the first quarter. Outside shooting enabled the Hawks to come back without forcing the game through a single channel, and the higher volume of three-point attempts also created more space for Ejiofor, Asa Newell and the other players in the middle of the paint. Once Atlanta began moving the ball better, the Thunder defense could no longer close drives and help from the wings with the same ease.
The defensive part of the game was equally important. The official NBA.com report states that the Hawks had nine steals and six blocks, while Oklahoma City finished with four in each category. Those figures show why the game changed after the Thunder's opening dominance: Atlanta began slowing the first pass, closing passing lanes and turning defensive reactions into faster attacks. In summer league, where teams are often assembled shortly before the tournament, pressure on the ball and athletic energy can compensate for a lack of chemistry. Against the Thunder, that gave the Hawks enough possessions to move from 11:26 after the first quarter to control of the score.
Alongside Ejiofor, other young Atlanta players also made important contributions. According to NBA.com, Asa Newell recorded 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Kingston Flemings added 12 points, five assists and three blocks. Keshon Gilbert led the bench with 12 points, giving Atlanta a secondary offensive support at moments when it needed to maintain pressure. That kind of distribution of production is especially important in summer league, because coaches are not looking only for one statistical leader, but also for evidence that several players can fit into a functional rotation. Against Oklahoma City, Atlanta built the victory precisely in that way: without complete offensive perfection, but with enough depth to overcome a poor start.
An excellent start was not enough for the Thunder's first win
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the game after a heavy 111:74 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the opening round of the tournament, according to NBA.com's report from the start of the Salt Lake City Summer League. The reaction in the first quarter against Atlanta was very good: with energy, speed and better shooting, the Thunder quickly built a double-digit lead. Still, as the game went on, Oklahoma City failed to maintain the same level of offensive control. Atlanta pressed the ball increasingly aggressively, and after the opening surge the Thunder found it more and more difficult to get clean solutions late in possessions.
Payton Sandfort was the Thunder's most efficient player with 25 points off the bench, along with four rebounds and two assists, NBA.com states. His performance was the best offensive segment for Oklahoma City, especially because it gave the team points from the second unit and kept it in the game after Atlanta took the momentum. Aday Mara, one of the most interesting young players on the Thunder roster, finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, while Brooks Barnhizer added four points, 13 rebounds and three assists. Those contributions show that Oklahoma City had individual production, but not enough continuous offensive output throughout the entire game.
According to the official NBA.com roster, Mara is the 12th pick of the 2026 NBA draft and is appearing in Salt Lake City as a 221-centimeter center, while Bennett Stirtz is also a rookie on the Thunder roster. Such a core clearly shows the developmental character of Oklahoma City's summer league appearance. For the Thunder, it is therefore equally important to analyze why the team opened the game well and why it failed to respond to Atlanta's increased defensive pressure. A 0-2 record after two games is not the desired results framework, but summer league primarily serves to identify players who can transfer certain skills into a more demanding competitive environment.
Salt Lake City as an early test for rookies, returnees and free agents
The 2026 Salt Lake City Summer League is being held on July 4, 6 and 7 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus. According to the Utah Jazz announcement carried by NBA.com, it is a four-team, six-game event traditionally organized by the Jazz, and this year, alongside the hosts, the Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder are participating. This format gives teams a quick but useful sample of games before moving on to the wider NBA Summer League program in Las Vegas. For players, it is an opportunity to show themselves in conditions that are not the same as the regular season, but offer enough intensity to see reactions under pressure.
In its summer league preview, NBA.com emphasized that the Salt Lake City Summer League serves as a stage for rookies from the current draft, younger returnees with NBA and G League experience, and free agents looking for a place in camps or on developmental contracts. That is exactly why games such as Atlanta - Oklahoma City have value beyond the final score. Coaches can see who recognizes defensive rotations, who understands tempo, who adapts after a bad start and who remains effective when the ball is not going in. In that sense, Atlanta's performance after the first quarter provided more positive answers than the final score of 82:77 alone would suggest.
In the broader calendar, Salt Lake City is one of the opening points of the NBA summer season. NBA.com states that the California Classic is scheduled from July 3 to 6, Salt Lake City from July 4 to 7, and the main edition of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas from July 9 to 19. Las Vegas brings together all 30 NBA teams and, according to the league's official announcement, features 76 games in 11 days on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. That is why appearances in Utah often function as the first check of form, roles and combinations before the bigger stage on which the number of opponents broadens and competition for minutes increases.
What the win means for the Hawks, and what the loss means for the Thunder
For Atlanta, the win over Oklahoma City is important because it showed the ability to adjust within the game. After a first quarter in which they trailed by 15 points, the Hawks did not change the game with one single surge, but through a gradual raising of the defensive level and better shot selection. Such a reaction is especially useful for young guards and wing players, because summer league often reveals how quickly they can read changes in the opponent's defense. Flemings, Newell and Gilbert did not have Ejiofor's statistical dominance, but they provided enough structure and energy so that Atlanta did not remain dependent on only one player in the closing stretch.
For the Thunder, the loss is a warning that a quality start must be followed by better control of the middle part of the game. Oklahoma City had already suffered a convincing loss against Memphis, and against Atlanta it showed a much better opening, but failed to prevent a long opposing run through the second and third quarters. Sandfort's bench production and Mara's contribution in rebounding and rim protection are elements on which to build, but the team will need more continuous creation of open shots in the next games. In summer league, that often means simpler attacks, better transition defense and fewer lost possessions after the first pressure.
According to ESPN's standings for NBA Summer League - Utah after the games of July 6, Utah Jazz holds a 2-0 record, Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks are at 1-1, and Oklahoma City Thunder is at 0-2. The same schedule puts Atlanta against Memphis on July 7, while Oklahoma City plays against the Utah Jazz the same day. For the Hawks, that will be an opportunity to confirm progress after the comeback against the Thunder, and for Oklahoma City a chance to end the negative streak before the continuation of the summer program. In both cases, the focus will remain the same: less on the table itself, and more on individual development, the stability of young players and the ability to turn a good segment of play into longer continuity.
Sources:
- NBA.com – official report of the Atlanta Hawks - Oklahoma City Thunder game in the 2026 Salt Lake City Summer League. (link)
- NBA.com – Utah Jazz announcement on the format, location and participants of the 2026 Salt Lake City Summer League. (link)
- NBA.com – preview of key dates and context for the 2026 NBA Summer League. (link)
- NBA.com – official Atlanta Hawks roster for the 2026 Salt Lake City Summer League. (link)
- NBA.com – official Oklahoma City Thunder roster for the 2026 Salt Lake City Summer League. (link)
- ESPN – score, standings and schedule of NBA Summer League - Utah after the Hawks - Thunder game. (link)